Factory floor showing CNC machines running manufacturing automation software

CloudNC Raises $20M to Scale Manufacturing Automation Software

U.K.-based startup CloudNC has closed a $20 million Series B extension, pushing its total funding to $128 million. The company builds manufacturing automation software designed to remove friction from CNC machining, one of the industries most persistent operational headaches. For small business owners in manufacturing and adjacent trades, this round is another sign that investors […]

Amazon delivery van representing growth of the Amazon delivery network over USPS and UPS

Amazon Delivery Network Growth Signals Shift Away from UPS

Amazon is quietly reshaping the last mile delivery landscape. According to a recent report, the company projects that its own Amazon delivery network could handle more than 86% of its package volume next year, reducing its dependence on USPS and UPS. While Amazon has cautioned that these are preliminary internal estimates, the direction of travel […]

Shopping carts and gift boxes symbolizing the holiday spending forecast surpassing $1 trillion

Holiday Spending Forecast Tops $1 Trillion This Year

A new holiday spending forecast from Bain & Company projects that shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion this season, marking a milestone for retailers and marketplace operators alike. While the number sounds like unambiguous good news, much of the growth is tied to inflation rather than a surge in the volume of goods people […]

Illustration representing the growing AI coding market and startup valuations

Cognition’s $48B Valuation Signals AI Coding Market Shift

The AI coding market just got a fresh signal about where investor confidence is heading. Cognition, the company behind the AI coding assistant Devin, has reportedly reached a $48 billion valuation. Notably, that valuation multiple outpaces what Cursor commanded before its acquisition by SpaceX, suggesting that money managers see plenty of room for multiple winners […]

Distribution warehouse representing La-Z-Boy's Missouri logistics expansion project

La-Z-Boy’s $23M Missouri Logistics Expansion Explained

La-Z-Boy has announced a $23 million logistics expansion in Missouri, building a new 150,000-square-foot distribution hub right alongside one of its oldest manufacturing plants. The move signals that even legacy furniture makers are rethinking how they get products from factory floor to customer door. For a company with decades of manufacturing history, pairing an established […]

Illustration of a canceled marketplace acquisition deal between two retail companies

What the Neighborhood Intelligence Marketplace Deal Fallout Teaches

The retail world got a fresh reminder that even signed agreements can fall apart before the money changes hands. Neighborhood Intelligence, the company formerly known as Bed Bath & Beyond, has walked away from its planned marketplace acquisition deal to buy F9 Brands, the parent company behind Cabinets To Go. The company says F9 Brands […]

Autonomous robotaxi vehicle representing Travis Kalanick's Atoms entry into the robotaxi business

Kalanick’s Atoms Enters Robotaxi Business: What It Means

Travis Kalanick, the co-founder of Uber, is reportedly steering his new venture Atoms toward the robotaxi business. Kalanick has described the move as a chance to finish what he started at Uber, calling it his unfinished business. For an industry that has watched autonomous vehicle experiments rise and stall over the past decade, this signals […]

Automated sortation system illustrating fulfillment center automation at a warehouse facility

Nuuly’s Fulfillment Center Automation Signals Logistics Shift

Urban Outfitters’ rental subscription arm, Nuuly, is doubling down on fulfillment center automation as it works to speed up how clothing orders move through its Kansas City-area facility. The company plans to introduce an automated sortation system alongside a new picking solution, a move that reflects a broader trend among retailers looking to squeeze more […]

Lululemon storefront symbolizing the retailer's revised store expansion plans amid falling sales

Lululemon Pulls Back Store Expansion Plans Amid Slump

Lululemon is hitting the brakes on its store expansion plans after a rough second quarter that saw even its signature leggings category slide 20%. The athletic apparel giant, once seen as a retail darling that could do no wrong, is now facing pressure to rethink how fast it grows its physical footprint. For a company […]

Small business founder applying for a TechCrunch Disrupt side event before the deadline

TechCrunch Disrupt Side Event Deadline Closes Tonight

Small business software founders have only hours left to lock in one of the most visible marketing opportunities of the year. Applications to host a TechCrunch Disrupt side event close tonight at midnight PT, and after that window shuts, the chance disappears until next year. For SaaS operators trying to build brand awareness in a […]